Honda has brought back the CB300R in the Indian two-wheeler market. The Honda CB300R was discontinued from India in 2020, as it was not BS6 compliant at that time. However, this time, the motorcycle has made a comeback with a BS6-compliant engine and a couple of cosmetic changes.
Price and Variants
Compared to the BS4 version of the Honda CB300R which was priced for Rs 2.41 lakh, the new BS6 version has been priced at Rs 2.77 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, India). The new version is locally assembled in India, unlike the previous version which was brought to India through the CKD route.
Cosmetic Changes
While the overall design of the new Honda CB300R has been kept the same as the BS4-spec version, the new version comes with a couple of cosmetic changes over the latter. The new motorcycle is available in two new paint schemes – Pearl Spartan Red and Matte Steel Black.
In addition, the new motorcycle comes with a golden finish for the front forks and a blacked-out finish for the headlamp surround and radiator shrouds. The new Honda CB300R also gets a new exhaust pipe which is smaller than before and an updated fully-digital instrument console with a gear position indicator and a shift light. The motorcycle continues to get all-LED headlamps, tail lamps and turn indicators as before.
Engine and Transmission
The new Honda CB300R gets a BS6 version of the four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-valve DOHC, 286cc engine, which used to power the erstwhile version as well. However, compared to the power output of 30.45 bhp @ 8,000 rpm in the BS4-spec engine, the new BS6 version of the engine produces a higher power output of 31.1 bhp @ 9,000 rpm. The torque output of the engine is rated at 27.5 Nm @ 7,500 rpm. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed gearbox, and now gets a slip and assist clutch which was not there in the BS4-spec engine.
Chassis
This is the only department where the Honda CB300R hasn’t received any change. The motorcycle continues to get upside-down telescopic forks at the front and a 7-step preload adjustable mono-shock at the rear. The brakes too are the same as before – a 296mm disc at the front and a 220mm disc at the rear. While the new version has a longer wheelbase of 1352mm compared to 1344mm of the previous model, the weight of the motorcycle has dropped from 147 kg to 146 kg.
Competition and Availability
The new Honda CB300R sits at a premium positioning over its two main rivals – BMW G310R and KTM 250 Duke. The motorcycle will be exclusively available in all the Honda Big Wing showrooms across India. The network of Big Wing showrooms has already accumulated 88 touchpoints and will add 12 more points by March 2022.
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